


Outside, It Snowed

by RainbowMatildas



Series: The Christmas Gems! [2]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Implied Pearl/Rose Quartz (Steven Universe), Pre-Gem War, Snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-14
Updated: 2016-12-14
Packaged: 2018-09-08 15:14:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8849917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RainbowMatildas/pseuds/RainbowMatildas
Summary: Pearl took most "magic" with a massive grain of salt, but even she knew there was something special about the snow. Rose and Steven both teach her that, thousands of years apart.





	

**Author's Note:**

> "Silently, like thoughts that come and go, the snowflakes fall, each one a gem." -William Hamilton Gibson

Pearl had always liked winter. From her very first year on Earth, she’d always found something magical about it. The shorter days, the sunlight every more previous as its time lessened. The snowflakes, all delicate and unique, fluttering to the ground. The howling wind and gray skies, from which she was protected within the confines of the Temple.  


If Steven heard her say this, he would immediately claim it was “the magic of Christmas,” or some other silly human thing. But Pearl knew better. After all, she was several millennia older than even the most ancient human religions, and anyway, she was far too logical to submit to them. It wasn’t Christmas.  


If Amethyst heard her say this, she would claim Pearl had finally gone bonkers. If Garnet heard… well, she probably wouldn’t say anything.  


“Pearl? I think it’s ready,” Steven said, breaking her out of her thoughts. She turned away from the window to find him peering into the pot of water, now bubbling furiously. She hurried to turn down the temperature and nudge Steven away from the stove.  


“I think it is. Would you like to get the cocoa mix?” She asked him with a small smile, one she practically had to force onto her face. Steven nodded excitedly and hurried off to find it, leaving Pearl by herself.  


She couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh and looked out the window again. The snow was nearly a foot high. She should ask Garnet to help her start a fire in the fireplace…  


Pearl sighed, hugging herself. A strange sort of bittersweet sadness washed over her as she gazed out at the dreary gray sky. It wasn’t often that she let her nostalgia get the best of her anymore. Over the years since Rose… since Steven’s birth, she had become much better at managing her emotions – keeping them contained and controlled, hidden away from the rest of the world. But winter always reminded her of Rose, of the first years on the planet she’d loved so much.  


_“What is it?” Pearl asked nervously, poking a pile of the fluffy white substance with her sword tip._  


_Rose squealed and continued to roll around in it, completely soaking both her hair and dress. “The humans call it ‘snow!’” She giggled.” Apparently it happens every year here, when the temperature starts to drop. And the children even play in it! Isn’t it wonderful, Pearl?”_  


_Pearl grimaced. “I’m not sure if ‘wonderful’ is the right word…”_  


_“Well, I think it’s incredible,” Rose said. She tugged Pearl to her knees next to her, laughing at her yelp of protest. “Just look at it. All of this – the snow, the wind, the humans. The_ life. _We have to protect it, Pearl. We just have to.”_  


_A snowflake landed perfectly on the tip of Rose’s nose. Before she could stop herself, Pearl let out a completely unsophisticated snort. Rose dissolved into a fit of giggles. She slapped a hand over her mouth as a blue blush crept up her face, but Rose only laughed harder. After a moment, Pearl began to chuckle a little, too, and soon they were both giggling like mad, rolling around in the snow with tears rolling down their faces._  


_Maybe Earth wasn’t so bad._  


Pearl felt a tug on her skirt and looked down.  


Steven held up the box of cocoa mix. “Can I help stir?” He asked eagerly  


Pearl found that her smile came easier this time, and lifted him onto the counter, careful to keep him from falling onto the stovetop. Once she had poured the water into a few mugs, she set them to the side for Steven to mix. “Carefully, now – we don’t want a mess,” she added with a stern look. Thank goodness Amethyst wasn't there. She watched as he poured in the dark powder. He didn't spill any. “Very good, Steven. Garnet and Amethyst always liked cocoa when it was cold like this,” she said.  


“Did Mom like it, too?” Steven asked after brief hesitation.  


Pearl smoothed his hair back with a fond smile. “Very much. Now go find Garnet and Amethyst before all this cocoa goes cold. We’ll need help finishing those cookies, too!”  


As she watched Steven scurry off to find the others, Pearl leaned against the counter and smiled. Earth really wasn’t so bad, after all.  


Outside, it snowed.


End file.
